Welcome to the first episode of The Joyful Lean-In (formerly Finding Joy with Toy).

In this episode, I'm taking off the mask. I have the MBA, the business (Shining Light LLC), and 10 years of experience as a mental health professional—but in 2023, none of that stopped me from having a complete mental breakdown in my car.

I'm'reI’m opening up about my diagnosis of Autism and ADHD, the reality of the "Ferrari B"ain," and why I walked away from a career in social work to become a Premium Auditor. We’re also talking about the hard stuff—medication struggles, the financial pressure of single motherhood (and yes, dealing with foreclosure), and why I'm building a "Sanctuary" to survive it all.

This is a space for the introverts, the neurodivergent parents, and anyone who realizes the world wasn't built for our brains—so we're building our own.

In this episode:

• 0:00 - Intro: Why we need a "Safe Space" for introverts

• 1:08 - The "COVID Pause" & My 2023 Breakdown

• 2:25 - Getting fired by my therapist & the "Medication Trap"

• 3:16 - Building a Sanctuary (and why I need it)

• 4:11 - Career Pivot: From $12/hr RBT to MBA & Auditor

• 6:35 - The "Ferrari Brain": Explaining Autism/ADHD

• 7:10 - The Reality Check: Facing foreclosure & having faith

Join the Village:If you have a "Ferrari Brain" in a bicycle world, I want to hear from you. Drop a comment below: What is one thing you are doing to build your own sanctuary this week?